Like any good moms, the founders of Kidz Spot want their kids to do two things: learn and have fun. So when they opened their recreation center for kids ages 6 months to 10 years old, they didn't just furnish it with modular play areas and a miniature climbing wall. They also created a classroom where certified teachers and professional engineers teach workshops in the subjects of reading, writing, math, and science. The classroom, with its picnic tables and hardwood floors, also doubles as a private party room, where kids can nosh on pizza and cake while sitting for temporary tattoos or face painting. Kidz Spot just opened in June of 2014, so the facilities are brand new and monsters haven't had enough time to find it yet.

While many golf instructors compete on professional tours, few can also include the title of “TV star” on their resumés. John Lepak of Renaissance Golf Academy is one of those few: in addition to touring for the better part of a decade, he appeared as a contestant on Golf Channel’s reality show Big Break, which awards pro-tour exemptions to the winner of the show’s various challenges. Students of all levels can gain from John’s expertise and see if he really looks 12 feet tall off camera by enrolling in lessons at his private academy, where they’ll hone putting strokes on a 6,000-square-foot putting green and shore up full swings on the 16-tee driving range. Each lesson incorporates video analysis, providing immediate feedback of golfers’ swing mechanics.

Mysterium Theater in La Habra, CA believes in the three 'E's' of life - enrich, entertain and educate. Through live stage productions, they do just that. Many of their productions run the artistic gamut - moving dramas, musical extravaganza and holiday specials. Summers are often filled with acting and dance classes if you've thought of being a thespian or the next Fred Astair. It's also a time when you can see Bill... Bill Shakespeare, that is. The theater houses productions like A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 12th Night and The Tempest, to name a few. Tickets are usually available individually or by the season (if you love the arts and want a discount too).

At the heart of Pepz Pizza and Brew House lies its owners' passion for bettering the community through outreach and service. They show their neighborhood love not only through fundraisers and discounts for the star student, but also with an atmosphere warmer than the sun?s feelings for coconut-scented tanning oil. The pizzeria's hefty menu gives diners loads of options, from specialty pizzas including the vegetarian and a chorizo-topped Mexican-style pie, to crisp salads tossed with barbecue dressing and chicken breast. Pasta, sandwiches, and the house secret-recipe "broasted" chicken hold their own on the menu to the unbridled admiration of second-string dishes at pizzerias everywhere. Once meals have wrapped up, parents can kick back and catch some TV as kids horse around in the arcade and game area.

At Top Tennis at La Habra Tennis Center, shots skip and spring across a dozen pro-grade courts seven days per week. Recognizing that tennis, like competitive puppy petting, is one of the few sports that can be played from childhood through the golden years, the professionally staffed USTA facility makes sure to serve up programs for all ages and skill levels. Programs for advanced players provide competitive and tournament training, whereas youth services, such as 8 and Under programs, teach pintsize racket holders the basics on smaller-scale courts. Yearly memberships, USTA leagues, and pay-to-play options round out the center's arsenal of specialties, and an onsite pro-shop stocks the latest shoes, rackets, and accessories so players won't have to download gear onto their bodies before each match.

Groupon Guide

There’s something for everyone this week: cartoon-themed trivia, a hip-hop festival, and high tea for kids. If you want to make this week’s itinerary even more well-rounded, then check Groupon for more great things to do in Los Angeles.
Stonecutters LA
West Hollywood | Saturday, September 6
At what's normally a monthly Simpsons-themed trivia, players will have to transition from Springfield to New New York City, fielding questions about Futurama from creator David X. Cohen as well as voice actors Phil LaMarr and Maurice LaMarche. (7522 Sunset Blvd.; free)
KDAY's Fresh Fest 2014
Downtown | Saturday, September 6
The headliners at this Nokia Theatre rap fest may include genre vets Mack 10 and Mobb Deep, but the real draw here is Mase. It’s one of his biggest shows since returning to hip-hop, and maybe he still has some of those ''Mo Money Mo Problems'' shiny suits. (777 Chick Hearn Ct.; $25–$99.95; buy tickets here)
Imagine Tea
Pasadena | Sunday, September 7
At this inaugural seating of The Langham's kid-friendly high tea, young magicians from The Magic Castle will perform tricks as the audience dines on PB&J, gourmet cookies, pink lemonade, and caffeine-free, fruit-infused teas. Reservations are required, and can be made by phone. (1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave.; $28 for kids aged 4–12, $48 for adults)
Los Angeles County Fair
Fairplex | Through September 28
Now in its 92nd year, the LACF features everything from horse racing to wine tastings. You can get in for free with the purchase of any LACF Concert Series ticket, a diverse lineup with highlights that include Heart and Boyz II Men. (1101 W. McKinley Ave.; $6–$19, additional fees for parking and carnival rides; buy tickets here)
Valley Vista: Art in the San Fernando Valley, ca. 1970–1990
Northridge | Through October 11
If you asked an Angelino to describe the Valley, they probably wouldn't use the phrase ''cultural and artistic mecca.'' CSUN is looking to change that with an exhibit that explores the region's influence on LA's contemporary arts scene. (18111 Nordhoff St.; free)
Photos courtesy of Futurama’s Facebook page and The Langham.

This week: Hollywood hosts movies at the cemetery and a Marvin Gaye tribute concert, and the Burbank Comedy Festival features Jeff Garlin, Adam Carolla, and Wendy Liebman. As always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in Los Angeles.
Movies All Night: Fantasy
Hollywood | Saturday, August 16
Staying up all night to watch Labyrinth and Legend in Hollywood Forever Cemetery isn’t a fantasy. It’s Fantasy, the fourth edition of Cinespia’s all-night moviethon. Gates open at 11:30 p.m., screenings start at midnight, and Intelligentsia will be pouring free coffee until 6 a.m. (6000 Santa Monica Blvd.; $14; buy tickets here)
Hot August Bikes at Amoeba
Hollywood | Sunday, August 17
At this inaugural event, Amoeba Records will be celebrating bike culture in tandem with the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, raffling off Bern helmets, Converse gift certificates, and a bike from Solé Bicycles. There'll also be complimentary treats from Hubert's Lemonade and the Hollywood Farmers’ Market, and music spun by local DJs. (6400 Sunset Blvd.; free)
Marvin Gaye's What's Going On with John Legend
Hollywood | Wednesday, August 20
Backed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, nine-time Grammy winner John Legend will be covering Gaye's seminal civil-rights album. Sharon Jones will be filling in for Tammi Terrell on the duets, accompanied by the Dap-Kings. If you don't want to spring for a resale ticket, the event will be streamed for free online. (Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave.; resale tickets available only; $52–$489.50; buy tickets here)
Sunset Strip Market
West Hollywood | Thursday, August 21
With only a few Thursdays left before the market packs up for the fall, make sure to squeeze in a visit to this weekly bazaar that corrals several local food trucks, craft cocktails, and beers from Ballast Point, Lagunitas, and other craft brewers. Other highlights include fresh produce stands and a diverse schedule of live music. (8755 Sunset Blvd.; free)
Burbank Comedy Festival
Burbank | Through August 23
This weeklong festival at Flappers Comedy Club kicks off with a set by Jeff Garlin. He’ll be followed by more than 200 of his comic peers, including both up-and-comers and TV vets such as Adam Carolla and Whitney Cummings. Admission options range from tickets to individual shows to VIP passes that include food and drink credits and entry to all sets, classes, and panels. (102 E. Magnolia Blvd.; $15–$699; buy tickets here)
Photos courtesy of Cinespia and the Hollywood Bowl

Following its 1920s heyday, downtown Los Angeles entered a protracted period of decline. Blame freeway-induced sprawl, the allure of the beach, or the burgeoning film industry's thirst for larger swathes of land. Whatever the reason, the city’s downtown districts became less its beating heart and more its ailing appendix—obsolete and expendable.
This narrative of decline persisted until 2003, when architect Frank Gehry unveiled his $130-million-dollar Walt Disney Concert Hall. With striking curves of stainless steel and an acoustical quality that Frommer’s claims “equals or surpasses those of the best concert halls in the world,” the building would come to symbolize downtown’s 21st-century renaissance.
Another prominent symbol of that renaissance emerged with the completion of the L.A. Live project. Developers and taxpayers spent billions to grow the area surrounding the Staples Center, which today comprises movie theaters, clubs, music venues, and restaurants. Head to the complex's Grammy Museum to check out four floors of interactive exhibits and artifacts that range from Stevie Ray Vaughan’s battered Fender Broadcaster to Michael Jackson’s sequined gloves. As the sun sets, bounce over to the Conga Room, a Latin music nightclub owned by a celebrity cohort that includes Jennifer Lopez and Jimmy Smits. Along with top salsa and Latin jazz artists, the club is home to Boca, whose Latin-style tapas dishes include seared tuna breaded with Cuban spices and shrimp marinated in coconut, cilantro, and jalapeno.
With all the attention that L.A. Live and other new additions garner, it's easy to overlook the institutions that have flourished in downtown for decades. Two of the area’s eateries feature rich—if conflicting—histories. Phillipe the Original and Cole's have both been open since 1908, and both claim to have invented the French dip. It hardly matters who’s right, as both restaurants serve prime specimens of the sandwich piled high with beef, pork, lamb, or turkey. Break the tie by choosing the closer location; Cole's sits a few blocks east of Pershing Square, whereas Phillippe straddles the boundary with Chinatown just north of the 101.
Thankfully, downtown Los Angeles doesn't shut down after dark. For a nightcap, head to The Edison, where guests munch on deviled eggs and sip bourbon cocktails. There’s an anachronistic element to the décor that recalls the early days of silent film—don’t miss a lounge filled with turn-of-the-century generators that create the impression of an Industrial Gothic cathedral. Nearby, Seven Grand caters to the worldly set with hundreds of whiskeys that range from cask-strength Irish spirits to single malts from Japan and India.
Of course, pockets of downtown take pride in their shaggier sensibilities. A case-in-point: The Smell, an all-ages punk club, experimental music venue, and art gallery. The prevailing ethic is decidedly DIY; volunteers operate every aspect of the not-for-profit club, from manning the soundboard to running the vegan snack bar. Occasionally, well-known artists such as Peter, Bjorn and John stop by to perform, but the lineup tends to feature homegrown acts—this is partly why tickets typically cost only $5.